The Micron Group

The Micron Group (Micron) – United KingdomAn international drug development organisation, specialising in clinical research & development. Micron is based in Europe (UK), the USA and South Africa. Micron was formed by a group of healthcare professionals, with a wide range of pharmaceutical and academic experience, who recognised the value of integrating a core expertise in pre-clinical development with experience in early-to-late phase clinical development. Micron was established in 1996 and has grown rapidly around its core clinical research expertise in anti-infectives. The company remains focussed on the delivery of quality clinical research and development worldwide. All senior staff have extensive anti-infective experience in drug discovery, drug development and marketing support. More than 75% of our staff have at least 3 years experience in managing clinical trials.

Main TasksThe Micron Group is responsible for and will manage the Multicenter randomised control clinical trial to compare antimicrobial oral treatment with minocycline plus rifampicin to oral treatment with linezolid for complicated skin and skin structure infections (cSSSI) due to MRSA.

Previous experienceMicron has performed a large number of anti-infective clinical trials in phases I-IV. The company maintains a comprehensive knowledge of the state of drug development across many disease areas and consequently has access to an extensive network of validated investigators. Micron was in the vanguard of recognising the potential and developing the technology to enable the large-scale collection, housing, manipulation and immediate reporting of national and international surveillance and epidemiological data. Micron has worked extensively on such projects, including: The Alexander Project: Global respiratory tract infection (RTI) pathogens,The Nearchus Project: UK, RTI pathogens and outcomes, BSAC Surveillance: RTI pathogens and bacteraemia,AEGIS: European glycopeptide resistance surveillance, MYSTIC: Meropenem Yearly Susceptibility Test Information Collection, PROTEKT: Prospective Resistant Organism Tracking for the Ketolide Telithromycin: >120 sites globally (RTI pathogens), PROTEKT US: Prospective Resistant Organism Tracking for the Ketolide Telithromycin in the United States: >250 sites across the USA (RTI pathogens) and Resistance Matters: synthesis of PROTEKT US and prescribing data.

Key personnelIan Harding (PhD): Prior to co-founding Micron Research in 1994, Ian ran a consultancy company specializing in clinical R&D and medical-marketing communications. His prior industry experience was with Bayer (ciprofloxacin and ureidopenicillins) and Marion Merrell Dow (glycopeptide and other antibiotics). Ian holds a PhD in fungal pathology from the University of Bath and a BSc in Microbiology from the University of London. He has published widely in the field of Infectious Diseases and is particularly well-known for the design, management and reporting of resistance surveillance studies.Miriam O’Hare (PhD): Prior to co-founding Micron Research in 1994, Miriam gained contract clinical research experience working with PPD/Gabby as Anti-infective Therapeutic Area Director, and industry research expertise with Glaxo Group Research in the Department of Infection and Oncology. Her anti-infective expertise was gained during her tenure as Senior Microbiologist for the Department of Clinical Microbiology at University College Hospital in London. Miriam holds a BSc in Microbiology, an MSc in Medical Microbiology from the London University School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, a post graduate certificate in Education from Southampton University, and a PhD from Cambridge University. She is an Associate Member of the Royal College of Pathologists and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine. She has published widely in the field of antimicrobial chemotherapy.